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Mr.Mr. (EP)

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Mr.Mr.
The album cover artwork is a photograph of a woman's hands holding an oxygen mask over a man's face.
EP by
Girls' Generation
ReleasedFebruary 24, 2014 (2014-02-24)
RecordedDecember 2013 – January 2014 at SM Studios, Seoul, South Korea
Genre
LanguageKorean
Label
ProducerLee Soo-man
Girls' Generation chronology
Love & Peace
(2013) 		Mr.Mr.
(2014) 		The Best
(2014)
Singles from Mr.Mr.
  1. "Mr.Mr."
    Released: February 25, 2014

Mr.Mr. is the fourth extended play (EP) by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation. The EP consists of six tracks and it incorporates electropop and R&B-pop music genres. It was released for digital download by SM Entertainment and KT Music on February 24, 2014. The CD and digital version were released in Hong Kong on the same day, and was made available for purchase on February 27 in South Korea. To promote the album, Girls' Generation appeared on several South Korean music programs including Music Bank and Inkigayo. The title track was released as a single. This is the final Korean EP featuring member Jessica who later left the group on September 30, 2014.

Mr.Mr. received mostly positive reviews from music critics – AllMusic's Heather Phares praised the album as showcasing the group's musical strengths, while Billboard's Jeff Benjamin positively viewed the EP as a more "impressive" release compared to the group's previous album I Got a Boy (2013). The EP peaked atop the Gaon Album Chart and became the best-selling album by a girl group of 2014 in South Korea, as well as the fifth best-selling album overall. It also entered the Japanese Oricon chart at number 11.

Songs

[edit]
"Mr.Mr."
A 23-second sample of the title track "Mr.Mr", an electropop and R&B-pop song
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Mr.Mr. is composed of six songs, which feature "dazzling" electropop and R&B-pop genres.[2] According to member Seohyun, the EP incorporates "exciting" R&B sounds with "cool, simple" melodies.[3] The opening track, "Mr.Mr.", was composed by The Underdogs, who have worked with several American recording artists such as Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, and Britney Spears. It has been described as an R&B-pop song infused with electropop. It also incorporates a hip hop beat and EDM-inspired buildups.[2][4] The second song, "Goodbye," is a pop-rock track that is instrumented by snare drums and hi-hats.[2] "Europa" (유로파), meanwhile, draws from retro late-1980s Europop and disco-pop genres.[2][4]

"Wait a Minute" was described as a "bouncy" jazz-pop track with "beautiful [harmonizations]",[5] and "Back Hug" (Korean: 백허그) features a "simple, snappy" R&B production.[2] The EP concludes with "Soul" – an uptempo Korean version of the group's first original Chinese recording, "Find Your Soul", released in 2013.[2] The original version was used as the theme song on commercials for the Korean MMORPG video game, Blade & Soul, in Chinese-language markets across Asia.[6]

Release and promotion

[edit]

Mr.Mr. was released for digital download worldwide on February 24, 2014, under SM Entertainment and KT Music, while the physical version was made available in South Korea on February 27, 2014, by the same labels.[7][8] The title track served as the EP's lead single and it was released to South Korean mainstream radio on February 25, 2014.[9]

To promote the EP, Girls' Generation appeared on several South Korean music programs, the first being Mnet's M Countdown, where they performed "Mr.Mr." and "Wait a Minute" live on March 6, 2014.[10] The group also appeared on KBS's Music Bank, MBC's Show! Music Core and SBS's Inkigayo on March 7, 8 and 9, 2014, respectively. On Show! Music Core, the group performed "Mr.Mr." and "Wait a Minute", while on Music Bank, they performed the title track and "Back Hug".[11]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Billboard82/100[2]
IZM[12]
Weiv8.5/10[13]

Upon its release, Mr.Mr received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Heather Phares from AllMusic labelled the EP "a set of songs that offers something for every kind of Girls' Generation and expands their musical reach." Phares further praised the EP for helping the group to be an outstanding case of Korean popular music.[4] Writing for Billboard, Jeff Benjamin named the six songs of the EP "strong" and called it a more "impressive effort" compared to the group's 2013 album I Got a Boy. He also deemed the track list "a tight bundle of songs that still see the group dipping and experimenting into new sonic territory, but possibly more focused than ever."[2] Benjamin also wrote an article for Fuse, on which he complimented the album's musical styles as "short, sweet, but strong."[14] Music critics from webzine Weiv praised the concepts and musical styles of Mr.Mr; critic Subtlety said that all of its musical styles are evenly distributed, and felt that it did a good job of showcasing the 'third path of idols' by not only embracing sexy or cute, but rather both.[13] On the other hand, Kim Do-heon from online magazine IZM compared the EP to the group's 2011 album The Boys for its "balance of musical competence and appeal to mass popularity", but found the songs to be inadequate. He concluded that the group needed to "[set] a clear direction for the future" after the "mistake" of I Got a Boy, and Mr.Mr was not the answer.[12]

Commercial performance

[edit]

Mr.Mr. was a commercial success domestically. It claimed the top spot on the South Korean Gaon Album Chart on the chart issue dated February 23 – March 1, 2014.[15] It remained on the peak position for one further week, beating 2NE1's Crush.[16] Mr.Mr. came second on the Gaon Monthly Album Chart of February, selling 87,824 physical copies, only behind B.A.P's First Sensibility, which sold over 91,000 units.[17] The following month, it topped the Gaon Monthly Album Chart with sales of 70,295 copies.[18] It was placed at number 47 on the Gaon Monthly Album Chart of April with a further 1,125 units sold.[19] Overall, Mr.Mr. was the fifth highest-selling physical album and the best-selling album by a girl group of 2014 in South Korea with total sales figures of 163,209 copies.[20][21]

Mr.Mr. debuted at number 110 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 3,000 copies in its first week. By doing so, the EP became Girls' Generation's highest-charting release on the Billboard 200 following subgroup TTS's Twinkle, which charted at number 126 in 2012.[22] Mr.Mr. also peaked at number three on the World Albums, and number 23 on the Independent Albums charts.[23][24] In Japan, it peaked at number eleven on the Oricon Albums Chart.[25]

The six songs from the EP debuted on the South Korean Gaon Digital Chart: "Mr.Mr." (number one), "Goodbye" (number ten), "Wait a Minute" (number 18), "Back Hug" (number 24), "Europa" (number 25), and "Soul" (number 33).[26]

Track listing

[edit]

Credits adapted from Mr.Mr. liner notes[8][27]

Mr.Mr.
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Mr.Mr."
3:55
2."Goodbye"
  • Hwang Hyun (MonoTree)
3:14
3."Europa" (Korean: 유로파; RR: Yuropa)
3:22
4."Wait a Minute"
  • G-High (Joombas)
  • Lee Joo-hyoung (Joombas)
  • Hwang Hyun (Joombas)
  • Agnes Shin (Joombas)
  • Mo-ul))
  • G-High (Joombas)
  • Lee Joo-hyoung (Joombas)
  • G-High (Joombas)
  • Lee Joo-hyoung (Joombas)
3:25
5."Back Hug" (Korean: 백허그; RR: Baekheogeu)
  • Hwang-gundan (Hwang Seong-je, Nickel, Jung Soo-min)
4:09
6."Soul" (Korean version)
  • Red Rocket
3:47
Total length:21:52

Personnel

[edit]

Credits are adapted from Mr.Mr. liner notes[27]

  • Lee Soo-man – producer
  • Tom Coyne – mastering engineer
  • Steven Myungkyu Lee – English supervisor
  • Taeyeon – vocals, background vocals (track 1, 3)
  • Jessica – vocals, background vocals (track 1, 3, 4)
  • Sunny – vocals, background vocals (track 1, 3)
  • Tiffany – vocals, background vocals (track 1, 3, 4)
  • Hyoyeon – vocals
  • Yuri – vocals
  • Sooyoung – vocals, background vocals (track 1)
  • Yoona – vocals
  • Seohyun – vocals, background vocals (track 1, 3)
  • Kenzie – vocal director (track 1), director (track 3), keyboard (track 3)
  • Ylva Dimberg – background vocals (track 1)
  • Yang Geun-young – background vocals (track 1, 6)
  • Gu Jong-pil – recording engineer (track 1, 4), mixing engineer (track 1, 2), additional bass arrangement (track 1)
  • Lee Min-gyu – additional vocal editing (track 1)
  • Lee Joo-hyung – vocal director (track 2), Pro Tools operator (track 2, 4), additional vocal editing (track 2, 4), director (track 4), background vocals (track 4)
  • Choi Young-kyung – background vocals (track 2, 4)
  • Jung Ui-seok – recording engineer (track 2, 3, 4), mixing engineer (track 3, 4)
  • Kim Jeong-bae – guitar (track 3)
  • Jung Eun-kyung – additional vocal editing (track 3)
  • Choi Hoon – bass guitar (track 4, 6)
  • Jung Soo-wan – guitar (track 4)
  • Yoo Ji-sang – keyboard (track 4)
  • Hwang Sung-jae – director (track 5), bass guitar (track 5), Pro Tools operator (track 5)
  • Seo Mi-rae – background vocals (track 5), additional vocal editing (track 5)
  • Lee Sung-ryul – guitar (track 5)
  • Lee Na-il – strings arrangement and conductor (track 5)
  • Nickel – strings arrangement and conductor (track 5), Pro Tools operator (track 5)
  • Yoong – strings (track 5)
  • Jung Soo-min – Pro Tools operator (track 5)
  • Lee Sung-ho – recording engineer (track 5)
  • Oh Sung-geun – recording engineer (track 5)
  • Son Joo-yong – assistant recording engineer (track 5)
  • Nam Goong-jin – mixing engineer (track 5, 6)
  • Red Rocket – director (track 6), keyboard (track 6), additional vocal editing (track 6)
  • Ryu Hyun-woo – guitar (track 6)
  • Kang Hae-gu – recording engineer (track 6)
  • Kim Young-min – executive supervisor

Charts

[edit]

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Format Label
Various[29] February 24, 2014 Digital download
  • SM Entertainment
  • KT Music
Hong Kong[30] CD Universal Music Group
South Korea[8] February 27, 2014
  • SM Entertainment
  • KT Music

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The 4th Mini Album 'Mr.Mr.'".
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Benjamin, Jeff (February 27, 2014). "Girls' Generation, 'Mr.Mr.': Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014.
  3. ^ Dorof, Jakob (March 27, 2014). "K-Pop Phenomenom Girls' Generation Want to Make Insecure Men Feel Better". Vice. Archived from the original on April 1, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d Phares, Heather. "Girls' Generation – Mr.Mr". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015.
  5. ^ Swaryandini, Ghassani (March 9, 2014). "Album Review: Girls' Generation – Mr.Mr. (Korea 2014)". The AU Review. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  6. ^ 《剑灵》携手少女时代不删档开测在即. People (in Chinese). Archived from the original on December 3, 2013.
  7. ^ "'Mr.Mr.' – EP by Girls' Generation". iTunes Store (US). February 24, 2014. Archived from the original on April 5, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  8. ^ a b c "Girls' Generation Discography – The 4th Mini Album "Mr.Mr."" (in Korean). SM Entertainment. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  9. ^ "Play List – February 25, 2014". Korean Broadcasting System. February 25, 2014. Archived from the original on April 15, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  10. ^ Lee Hye-rin (February 24, 2014). "소녀시대, 오늘 기습 컴백.."오후 5시 'Mr.Mr.' 발표"" (in Korean). OSEN. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  11. ^ Park Hyun-min (March 5, 2014). "SM 측 "소녀시대, '힐링캠프' 전원 출연…기대 부탁"". OSEN. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  12. ^ a b Kim Do-heon (March 2014). "Mr.Mr. album review". IZM (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  13. ^ a b "[Weekly weiv] 02.14 ~ 02.28" (in Korean). Weiv. March 5, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  14. ^ Benjamin, Jeff (February 26, 2014). "9 Reasons to Love Girls' Generation 'Mr.Mr.' EP". Fuse. Archived from the original on July 4, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  15. ^ a b "Gaon Album Chart: Week 10, 2014" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on July 24, 2014.
  16. ^ "Gaon Album Chart: Week 11, 2014" (in Korean). Gaon Album Chart. Archived from the original on November 12, 2014.
  17. ^ "Gaon Album Chart: February 2014" (in Korean). Gaon Album Chart. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
  18. ^ "Gaon Album Chart: March 2014" (in Korean). Gaon Album Chart. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
  19. ^ "Gaon Album Char: April 2014" (in Korean). Gaon Album Chart. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
  20. ^ a b "2014 Year-end Album Chart" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  21. ^ Park Gyu-oh (December 29, 2014). "EXO records most sales on Gaon Chart in 2014". The Korea Herald. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  22. ^ Benjamin, Jeff (March 5, 2014). "Girls' Generation Hits the Billboard 200". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  23. ^ a b "Girls Generation Chart History (World Albums)". Billboard.
  24. ^ a b "Girls Generation Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard.
  25. ^ a b "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2014-03-17" (in Japanese). Oricon.
  26. ^ "Gaon Digital Chart: February 23, 2014 – March 1, 2014" (in Korean). Gaon Digital Chart. Archived from the original on July 24, 2014.
  27. ^ a b Mr.Mr (booklet) (in Korean). Girls' Generation. SM Entertainment. 2014.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. ^ "Girls Generation Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  29. ^ References for Mr.Mr. release:
  30. ^ "Girls' Generation – Mr.Mr. (CD)" (in Chinese). Universal Music Group. Archived from the original on April 21, 2015.
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